An adaptive bit rate (ABR) server in a content delivery network (CDN) advertises an audio/video (AV) stream at different bit rates. A set top box (STB) or other gateway device may provide local client devices connectivity to the ABR server in addition to providing QAM-based cable channels to a television or other local display device. However, when a local client device (e.g., a mobile phone, or personal or tablet computer) connected to the STB requests an AV stream, the stream is requested directly from the CDN/ABR server, and the STB is used only as a data access device. The local client device may be aware of network conditions between itself and the STB, but may not be directly aware of network conditions between the ABR server and STB. Therefore, selection of a bit rate for receiving the AV stream may be based on indirectly perceived network conditions between the local client and the ABR server. Furthermore, since the STB is just a data access device with respect to the ABR operations, each local client has to fetch the ABR data from the ABR Server end-to-end.